.Dedicated to all of those who've come before - and all who will follow.

Quote:

Seven decades after the emergence of superhumans, the world - as we know it - became a grim and increasingly paranoid place to live in. It was 2006, and with threats of nuclear war and between rival countries brewing, fascism and corruption slowly making it's way back into the modern era, and crime at an all time high around the world, many people cried out for salvation from their then everyday perils. The days of The Justice Society were gone, and a new era of superheroes was needed more than ever.

The call was answered. The world reacted. And three years later, the shockwaves are still felt.

In the bright and millennial Metropolis, people now speak of the man who defies gravity. The figure who, donning a crimson cloak, patrols the skies of The City Of Tomorrow with a watchful eye. Some, such as the optimistic, believe he's friend. Others, such as the powerful and profiteers, believe he's foe. But the world can only think of one word to describe him: Superman.

Within the grim and festering towers of Gotham City, it could not be more opposite. Citizens, both guilty and innocent, now live in fear for an entirely different reasons than the mob. They live in the shadow of a fearsome protector, a seemingly inhuman vigilante who's wanted by both law enforcement and the criminal underworld. Criminals, superstitious and cowardly, are his primary prey. They call him The Bat-Man.

The bolstering whirlwind of streets belonging to Missouri's Central City are not immune to this sudden trend, either. Though he can only be spotted through a blur, or the occasional gust of wind, a force of nature has arrived and made it's presence known in a big way. The scourge of criminals and champion of innocents, the young crimefighter has christened himself after the moniker of a former hero - now returned to glory. He is The Flash.

And even still, in the present day of 2009, there are heroes to be found in the unlikliest of forms. A woman dressed in ancient battle armor, protecting her 'sisters' from the wrath of pariah's world. An alien warrior that has taken the form of man, using the memory of his distant homeworld to begin anew. A member of an intergalactic peace force, designated by his rank to protect Earth at all costs. These are the myths of Earth's heroes.

But what sinister figures will their exploits inspire? Will it be enough for good to ultimately triumph over evil? And what will the world at large demand of hero and villain alike... if each truly can find a place within this brave and bold society?

This is the Ultimate DC Universe. And the answers to these questions lie with you.

This RPG is based off of a player-created continuity, similar to Marvel's Ultimate imprint. Outside of the above, and what the players themselves create, there is no pre-established continuity.

As players, it will be your job to take the basic ideas and characters of the DCU, and accordingly, reinvent them into however you see fit. Though it is your choice of how drastic the alterations should be, you are free to customize everything from a character's origin to motivations, identity, mannerisms, costume, powers, and world. Let your imagination run wild.

To apply for a character, fill out the application supplied below. If your application is rejected, do not despair! Simply rework what the Gamemasters tell you is wrong with it, or in the case of multi-applications, choose another character. All players are welcome, regardless of membership status or postcount.

. Rules .

Quote:

* You may choose any character appearing in the DC Universe, or an imprint of DC Comics (IE: Vertigo, Wildstorm), and revamp them for Ultimate continuity. Any character appearing outside of DC, such as Marvel or Image characters, will not be allowed.

* You are allowed a maximum of two characters. Though it is advised that you stick to one, especially at first, you will be allowed a second if you believe you can handle the responsibility.

* In the beginning, each and every character will be up for grabs. Multiple players will be allowed to apply for the same character, leaving the best application to be judged and approved by the Gamemasters. In order to be eligible, you must post your application within 12 hours after the first was submitted.

* You must post at least once every two weeks, though it is preferred you post more, or your character will be up-for-grabs. Failure to post after a month will result in removal from the roster.

* PC's are not to be killed without permission. Nameless NPC's are fine, but PC's or important NPC's will require authorization. Don't do anything random, such as destroying the universe, either. Such behavior is frowned upon.

* Several storylines can be going on at once, in order to interact with other players. If a player's character does not want to be involved in another's storyline, they do not have to. Consultation and communication are the keys to a good PC-to-PC interaction.

* Sidekicks and legacy characters will be required to be permitted by the player orchestrating the mentor's role in UDC. For instance, if you want to play Superboy, your acceptance will hinder on the player playing Superman, and his thoughts.

* You can travel anywhere on Earth or off-planet, provided it is within your character's means. Time-travel is forbidden, unless it is specifically required of your character choice. (IE: Booster Gold, Rip Hunter, The Legion of Super-Heroes)

* You are your character, so act like them. Create or portray their mannerisms, powers, and ideals to how they have been established in the game. BE the character - do not, under any circumstances, play yourself as the character.

* Respect the Gamemasters. If they make a request of you regarding the game, listen to them. Failure to adhere to GM, AGM, and Hype! Moderator requests will result in expulsion from the game.

* Be creative, and do not be afraid to try new and exciting things with old concepts. This is a new continuity - the laws of the regular DC Universe are not set in stone.

* All regular Hype rules apply.

* And finally, the most important rule of all: Have fun. Never take the game too seriously, or you will have lost the point. Heated arguments between players can result in probations or infractions - do not ruin it for other players. It's a game, people.

- - -

. Application .

. THE NEW ULTIMATE DC RPG .Character Application

.Screen name:

.Character you wish to portray:

.Hero, villain, or walking the line?:

.Powers and physical attributes:

.Origin and backstory (as you see it):

.The burning question - Why this character?:

.How will this version of your character differ from others? How will it be Ultimate?:

.What do you believe you can bring to the RPG?:

.Provide a sample post as the character you wish to portray, in three paragraphs or more:

.Origin and backstory (as you see it):
The planet Krypton was known around the universe as being a world where technology and spiritual enlightenment went hand in hand, where its people had learned to live in harmony with the world's ecosystem. To help accomplish this achievement, eons ago Krypton's top scientists gradually introduced specifically engineered genes into the population, which allowed them to take a considerable amount of their body's needed energy from their solar system's red sun, whereas almost every other known carbon-based lifeform would usually get such nourishment from food and drink. The red wavelength of the solar energy wasn't anything truly substantial, but for countless years it was more than enough to free the Kryptonians from any concern of over-harvesting Krypton's resources in order to sustain their quality of life. Their way of life was never shaken; not through the Phantom Zone war, through the political disputes over Birthing Matrices, the abduction of the entire city of Kandor, and even through the controversial ruling that interplanetary travel would finally be forbidden.

And then came the Green Death. What Krypton's greatest minds could only call a "radioactive disturbance" arrived on the planet one day. It's physiology itself was in complete stark contrast to the Kryptonians'; where they were powered largely by solar rays taken from their red sun, this new entity's energy was drawn from Krypton's unique green planetary core. Funneled through the entity, the core's radiation swept through the population, slowly killing them via radiation poisoning while also causing immense geological damage to the planet. It wasn't long before a young scientist named Jor-El, considered a rogue by his peers, recognized that the planet did not have much longer to live, and with his wife, they retrieved their unborn son's birthing matrix and placed little Kal-El on board a small illegally developed rocket. Setting the rocket's coordinates for any planet far enough away from Krypton to never risk the Green Death from ever reaching their son, and with a compatible environment to allow him to mature safely, Jor-El launched the ship mere moments before Krypton exploded.

Arriving on Earth, Kal-El grew up in a small town in Kansas called Smallville. Raised as Clark Kent by Jonathan and Martha Kent, Clark was the star of his high school football team and was accepted to study journalism abroad before almost marrying his high school sweetheart Lana Lang. Before leaving home, however, Clark's parents told him a secret--the secret of how he's not from around Smallville.

Now living in Metropolis, one of the largest and most culturally and technologically developed cities in the world, Clark Kent has earned his way into a top reporting position at the Daily Planet and is about to go to dinner with the famed Lois Lane for their first date. But Clark Kent also leads another life, a life where he dons the Kryptonian uniform that was hastily thrown into his interplanetary life raft years ago, along with many other artifacts from Krypton. This is a life where he has defended the innocent from a number of superpowered villains, such as Blackrock and Neutron, and will tirelessly continue to do so.

But the worst has yet to come.

.The burning question - Why this character?:
I played him through most of his pre-reboot career, and would love to continue working with the character. I've always been a huge fan of Superman and his supporting cast, and I want to continue to flesh them out in the new Ultimate DC Universe. I also still have many ideas for giving Superman villains the Ultimate treatment, as well as new stories for Clark that are still in the late planning stages from way back in the pre-reboot days.

.How will this version of your character differ from others? How will it be Ultimate?:
The entire history of Krypton has changed, giving some explanation as to why Kryptonians are able to essentially be solar powered. I've also given a new reason for Krypton's destruction (which will come back to haunt Clark, as well as being the Ultimate version of an old villain), and I've kept the Ultimized version of Krypton that Karem and I came up with, with the societal unease over the more privileged families having their unborn being engineered to have stronger immune systems while coming to term in a birthing matrix; while the lower class get to give birth the old fashioned way, with all the risks that come with it.

Superman himself is younger and less experienced. He's also not at planet or continent moving levels of strength, but he did grit his teeth and move Brainiac's ship during Season 2.0 of the pre-reboot contuity, and I'm comfortable with that level of strength, so I'll keep it around there. Superman's costume is also a military uniform from Krypton (I've made several hints to that in the old UDC, but I never came right out and said it). The Fortress of Solitude is just a cave that can be outfitted to have infinite space within it (a combination of two of Superman's previous FOS's in the comics), but Clark really hasn't developed it any further than setting up a small workshop and a Kryptonian computer system.

You also might have noticed in my "Origin and Backstory" section that Clark almost married Lana before leaving Smallville. Oh yes, that incident will pop up again.

.What do you believe you can bring to the RPG?:
I can bring a dedication to the character, as I've demonstrated by sticking with him before the reboot with very minimal lags in overall posting. I can also bring with me a creativity for putting a new spin on old concepts while staying true to the spirit of the character and what he represents.

.Provide a sample post as the character you wish to portray, in three paragraphs or more:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spike_x1

Superman watched, almost forgetting about the pain for an instant, as Batman was dragged away by the tendrils. He couldn't believe it. They had lost. Batman's mind was going to become a slave to Brainiac as Clark's body would be no doubt put through any number of experiments and trial by this monster.

NO!

They weren't going to lose. Superman was going to get through this, Batman would find a way out, Wonder Woman would overcome the odds.

And they would all survive.

A last-ditch beam of heat vision, with more power behind it than Clark thought he had left in him, traveled up the energy blast that Brainiac was firing from an opening on his right hand, and shot straight down the barrel of the gun. Several moments passed before Brainiac's arm began sputtering its green radiation beam and finally exploded, its force pushing the rest of the android's bodyframe to the side.

"I'm Superman..."

With his shoulders smoking, a few flaming strips of alien fabric as all that remained of his cape, and with a number of scorches and tears all over his uniform, the Last Son of Krypton pushed himself back onto his feet and took a deep breath. "... and I haven't lost yet."

Trying to ignore Brainiac as a new arm was quickly and methodically reconfigured and replaced the destroyed one, Superman used what little time he had to look outside the ship. Wonder Woman was gaining allies, but also gaining new threats, apparently from Luthor; and Batman was being strapped into a series of machines in a sight that made Clark want to scream in rage. Stumbling and almost losing his balance as he made to recover from the onslaught from moments ago, Superman's feet left the floor and he rose to meet Brainiac again. Breathing hard, Superman's fists were balled tightly and his glowing eyes were set on Brainiac's visage. "We won't lose."

.Do you know how to post pictures on the Hype?:

__________________"Look into the soul of Bane and know the truth. We will topple your kingdom if it takes an eternity. We will defeat Hell."

.Powers and physical attributes: Possessing no superhuman abilities, Bruce Wayne has been forced to build upon his already humanistic attributes to keep ahead of his mission. In pinnacle health, Bruce is accomplished in forensics, psychology, and strategic combat. His high-level resources supply most of the gadgetry of his arsenal, including his ties to the CEO's of electronics' pioneer GothTech, and Wayne Medical. His assistant, the 36-year-old welsh accountant Alfred Jarvis, supplies him with additional expertise in criminal psychology and CIA tactics. Lucius Fox, Bruce's mentor and the head of Wayne Medical, supplies him with day-to-day treatment when nessecary. Leslie Thompkins, his psychiatrist from childhood, helps mantain his anger and teaches him techniques to keep it subdued.

Bruce Wayne himself is currently 25 years old, an a media darling. Declared People Magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive" for two years running, women flock to him immediately for his jet black hair, piercing green eyes, and his obsession with seeking thrills at no cost. Adorned regularly in armani custom-designed suits, driving itallian sports cars, and regularly seen with actresses and supermodels, Bruce is the talk of the town wherever he is - a fact of which has many tabloids fueled for weeks on end.

But when night falls, and Bruce is called to action, he dons the menacing guise of The Batman. Adorned head-to-toe in black and deep gray bodyarmor, his identity is concealed by a fearsome cowl that gives him the appearance of sharp horns, glowing eyes, and fierce, vampire-like fangs. The cape that surrounds him acts as both a cloak for his armor and figure, and a shield for fire and other hazardous environments. His utility belt, which actually extends to secret compartments all over his costume, holds weapons of many types - including razor sharp shuriken, steel-enforced electrical grappling lines and launchers, desanitizing forensic equipment, gas pellets, explosive C4 gel, sonic and encryption scramblers, and the 'Bat-beeper' - which allows him to remote-control all of his vehicles. At the forefront of his belt, he carries the gun that was used to murder his parents - a constant reminder to himself, and to criminals, that he is driven to be above the symbolism of the weapon.

Batman's most impressive weapon, though, is perhaps his personal A.I.U. (Artificial Intelligence Unit) - O.R.A.C.L.E, developed by GothTech monitor enemy combatants on the field of war. Bruce has modified it to alert him of any crime in progress within Gotham City, aswell as control security aspects for his penthouse suite, his company office, his inner-city hideouts and bunkers, and finally, 'The Cave' - a blocked off sewer system beneath Wayne Towers that Bruce has made into his own personal headquarters.

.Origin and backstory (as you see it):

Spoiler!!! Click to Read!:

(This is all rough - really rough, as I tried to shorten the full origin to these few paragraphs. But I hope to get to tell the full thing in flashback, eventually)

Born in The Narrows to a middle-class family, Bruce Wayne, Jr. was raised without the spoils of wealth. For the first few years of his life, he actually lived a relatively normal childhood - he attended school, had friends, and considered his high-morality parents to be his only idols. That forever changed, the night Bruce and his parents were treated to a stage production for Bruce's birthday. As they left the theatre, and crossed into the dark and gloomy Robinson Park, the family of three encountered a mugger. Shot at point blank range, Thomas and Martha instantly died, leaving Bruce an orphan. The boy was so traumatised from the incident that he wouldn't get out of bed for weeks. Finally, Bruce was adopted by his wealthy uncle, Phillip Wayne, and sent on the path to a better life.

But it wasn't enough. Still haunted by the traumatising incident of his youth, Bruce developed severe psychological detachments. As he matured, he was distant, cold, and lacking structure in his life. A former Green Baret, Phillip Wayne decided to ship him off to the military. Finally, things changed, as Bruce was taught valueable combat techniques and weapons training. He was even stationed in Iraq, for a brief period, before he was ultimately discharged for refusing to cooperate. The reason being that he wasn't comfortable with the army's methods of fighting criminals. He didn't want to kill - he wanted criminals to suffer for the rest of their lives, like he had. So he left Gotham City entirely, searching for a better way.

That "better way" came when, living in Brazil, Bruce encountered The League Of Shadows and their mysterious leader, Henri Ducard. Seeing hatred that could be mended within Bruce, he took him in, and provided him a life of solitude with the League. He learned many things from The League, in his time with them - from the importance of using the shadows to keep himself unpredictable, to intimidation tactics and what agents of evil fear most. Deciding he wanted to stay with The League, Bruce's decision was strengthened when he fell in love with Ducard's daughter, Talia. The two were quickly engaged to be married on the eve of Bruce's induction to The League through a rebirthing ritual - which, unfortunately, was interrupted when a seige on Ducard's compound caught them off guard. When the attack resulted in Talia's sudden death at the hands of one of The League's worst enemies, both men were broken all over again. Filled with a desire for cruel and unnatrual vengeance, Ducard adopted the moniker of Ra's Al Ghul, The Demon's Head, and became a terrorist.

Deciding he wanted no part in Ducard's self-destruction, Bruce fled back to America, and back to Gotham. He had all the skills he needed to start, but he wasn't sure where to. It was during this time that Gotham City fell on harder times. With corrupt officials and the mob making their way in, innocent people were left undefended. For the first time, Bruce felt powerless. He had to do something. And the opprotunity would soon present itself - but not before another tragedy would find it's way into Bruce's life. Discovering that his uncle Phillip was dying, Bruce looked after him while studying Gotham's new culture. As a thanks for doing so, Phillip made Bruce the sole heir of his will - awarding his young nephew an over billion dollar fortune. Overnight, Bruce Wayne was the richest man in Gotham City. And he knew how he'd use the money. Using the same rebirthing ritual that The League of Shadows nearly provided him, Bruce used the spiritual method of applying Bats' blood over his heart to purge himself of inner hatred. When he had finished, Bruce had found the symbol he would need to fight corruption and injustice in Gotham City. And putting his new fortune towards the construction of tools and vehicles he needed, aswell as a daytime identity to carry on his uncle's buisnesses, Bruce had finally found his destiny.

He became Batman.

.The burning question - Why this character?: Despite what many people believe, the version of Batman that I played during the course of UDC's first run wasn't really my idea for an Ultimate Batman. To be honest, that was just me enacting my first and, what seemed to be, only chance to ever play Batman. But after years of doing it and realizing that I was just playing Batman as he would be anywhere else, I felt dissatisfied. I felt like I could do better, and make him more accessible as a new interpretation. So yes, I'm applying for Batman again. Not because I want to be greedy and hog him all to myself, but because I know I have much more to offer than I ever did in the last RPG. *This* is really going to be a Batman you've never seen.

.How will this version of your character differ from others? How will it be Ultimate?: There's alot of details I could get into regarding his lineage, his motivations and so forth, but I mainly want to say that my version of Batman would be... how do I put this?... the badboy of the DCU. For a long time, Batman's been seen as the dark side of DC's heroes. The quntessential embodiment of everything negative that can be turned into a positive. But he still has ridiculously high morals, standards, and a willpower that makes him almost superhuman. And even more to the point, a very likeable hero, despite his distant, paranoid, and isolated ways.

Well, that's that Batman. This is mine. My idea is that Bruce travels in alot of darker circles, almost seedier circles, in order to get closer to the criminals he's fighting. Along the way, he picks up alot of bad habits - Smoking. Drinking. Hunting for sexual thrills, and drugs. Bruce doesn't hold back or isolate himself from these vices - rather, as a point of contention to his crusade as Batman, he engages in these acts regularly. And it screws up his life. He can never keep a woman, no one on the Goth Tech CEO board trusts him, he's constantly letting his allies down, and his identity gets lost along the way. Who is Bruce Wayne? Who is Batman? That's what he keeps asking himself. And he's not sure he'd like the answer.

As Batman, his fears of self-destruction are even greater. As a vigilante and a violent force, no cop, especially not Commissioner Gordon, endorses what he does. He's wanted by the police, feared by citizens, obsessively hated by his enemies, and his very sanity is called into question by everyone - including himself. People like Superman feel a chill in the room whenever he enters it. They don't know when he'll fly off the handle, or if it'll be against them. His prescence doesn't make criminals a superstitious and cowardly lot - it makes that out of everyone. His paranoia is extreme, like Batman of the regular DCU, but it's to the point that he considers the value of life, and whether he deserves to live it, provoking even suicidal tendencies.

To put it shortly, this is not a guy you want to mess with.

.What do you believe you can bring to the RPG?: I've practically worshipped Batman since I was four, so I bring a rather intricate knowledge of the character and his world along with me. I also like to think I can write a decent, if not entertaining story once in awhile.

.Provide a sample post as the character you wish to portray, in three paragraphs or more:

Spoiler!!! Click to Read!:

Three Years Ago

From the Journal of Bruce Wayne

Mom. Dad. I have something to tell you both. Something I've wanted to get off my chest for a very long time. And I'm not just saying that because you're gone... because you've been gone, or because I feel compelled to. The fact is, there's nothing more I want in the world than to be right there, right where you both are now, to tell you this.

I just hope that, when it ends... if it ever ends, that you'll forgive me for this. I know it's not what you wanted. How could anyone? No one looks at their child and wishes for a life of punishment. But... and please, try to understand... but I have to do this. I need to do this. Not to get over you, because I know I never will, but because the people need someone to fight for them. To die for them. To inspire, and start something... anything, to save themselves.

Mom. Dad. I love you both.

But I'm about to do something crazy.

Present Day

"Jesus... h... he moves so fast!"

"You see what I saw up th-"

"Holy ****, was that even-"

I see them all beneath me. Cowering, whimpering to themselves. Fidgeting their fingers. Hoping to any God that might hear them that I'll leave them alone, or stay in the shadows. One's breathing has gotten so fast that he clutches his chest in fright. Two of them put on a brave face... but when the others aren't looking, the expression quickly subsides. The brittle air between them is their only comfort, as I let out a loud growl that widens more than a few eyes.

They're scared out of their minds. Time to strike.

Three Years Ago

"Alfred Jarvis at your service, sir."

I look back at the man at the door with a blank expression. Between Uncle Phillip's death, last month, I've been hard at work trying to pay off his final respects. The last thing I needed was an unexpected knock at the door from another face that I don't recognize.

"I'm sorry... did you have buisness with my Uncle?"

"If your uncle was Phillip Wayne, then yes, in a manner of speaking,", He explains in a flawless accent. "You see, my father was your uncle's aide for a number of years. And I've been commissioned by him to continue his services."

"Oh."

I don't even know what to say, at first. It's just... bizarre. So I eye him, curiously, trying to bide the time to sort the situation. The man's accent is european... possibly welsh. I recognize it from that region, at any rate. So I know he's telling the truth, about his father. Uncle Phillip's butler was welsh, too.

"I'm sorry, but... my uncle died last month. I'm afraid there's no work for you."

Taking his suitcases, the man turns around and begins to walk off. I look back at the project I was trying to finish. The model engine, for that test car that GothTech was developing. And the more I look at it, the more I realize that I can't finish this on my own. I wonder...

No. I shouldn't. I won't.

"Hey!", I call out, as he makes it to the elevator. "Mister... Jarvis, was it. Do you know anything about car engines?"

Damn it.

Present Day

The first one lunges at me with a knife. A poor attempt, easily countered. His anxiety gets the better of him by the time I lay the second haymaker. Out cold, in an instant. I turn to his friends, giving off that menacing glare that Alfred taught me to use. And not a one of them attempts to contend my prescence.

I'll have to thank him for that.

Three Years Ago

"And you say you're wanting to ...fight crime, is it?"

"As much of it as I can,", I reply, as we both lift the heavy wheel and place it onto the socket. "I'd leave it to the police, but they're mostly unaware of how the mob works. Not to mention easily bribed."

"I see,", He says, understanding. "You could always join them. Tip them off with your expertise of how these mafia blokes make their earnings."

"No."

He looks at me, puzzled. And I try to hide the passion in my voice. "I mean... no, I can't. The police have members of the mob working for them. They're littered with corruption. I have to do this myself, or die trying."

"This is a little extreme? I know.", I cut off. "But I made a promise. To my family. And I intend to keep it however I can, even if it means devoting my entire life to this. Gotham can be saved... I just need to figure out how."

Alfred turns, and doesn't look back, as we go to retrieve another tire. And in some ways... I never look back, either.

Now

The second one produces a gun. I leap at him, grab, and crack the bones in his wrists. Couldn't afford to do it any other way... the gunfire might have ricocheted and bounced onto someone else. And I absolutely refuse to be responsibile for the wrongful death of an innocent. The third and fourth one, running out of options, decide to take a chance and take me on at the same time. All I have to do is stand, letting them see as much of me as I'll allow, without saying a word. And their knees nearly quake from the fear. I'd smile if I could.

If I wasn't about to break their jaws.

The third goes first, going at me with a chain. I leap into the air and let the cloak to the work. Catching the metal, I whip it back, sending the chain flying into the air. Before he even has the time to realize that he's been unarmed, I land, and spin, executing a roundhouse kick to his face. He's knocked back into the wall, headfirst... bleeding from the nose. Sometimes I forget how easy it is to hurt these people.

The fourth comes at me with another gun. I sneer, looking at it. It reminds me of that night. Reminds me of everything I hate about that night, and in this world. It doesn't even require thought for me to snatch it from his grasp, toss it away, and watch as he realizes what just happened. He drops to his knees, raising his arms in a pathetic gesture of surrender.

"P... Please. Please don't... please don't hurt me."

I stand over him, growling still. My shadow envelops him in darkness, as his lip quivers. He doesn't even need to be knocked unconcious. He just faints. Leaving me alone, with the victim of this botched attempt at a robbery.

Turning around, I extend a hand. Hesitantly, she takes it, still shaking with fear herself. I'm not sure whether it's because of me or the muggers, but I tell myself it's the latter. To save myself the guilt. To ignore the obvious.

"Are you hurt?"

"N... No. I'm fine,", She says, still in awe. "Those men... they..."

"They'll be taken care of. Call the police."

"But you... you...", she mutters, still stunned. "You saved me. You saved my... who are you?"

I leap onto the rafters above, fading into the darkness as I answer. Soon, I hope, I'll be able to move to the bigger ones. The ones that are really hurting Gotham. But now, this is all I can hope to achieve. The small victories. And the chance to spread the word to their friends.

.Powers and physical attributes: Joker has low-level psionic ability (reading surface thoughts, telepathically enthralling a handful of people, mental attacks, swaying the emotions of others, etc), but his use of it is more raw and less refined given his chaotic nature. Physically, the Joker is as fit as a man in peak condition. As far as fighting ability goes, he's just a street fighter with no real discipline.

.Origin and backstory (as you see it):

The man who would be Joker's true name remains a mystery. Stories claim that he was an only child who murdered his parents and ran away, joining a traveling circus. Others tell that he was an ordinary civillian captured by the government and used as a ginnea pig in experiments that warped and twisted his mind. Some say that he isn't even human, but the son of the Devil himself. And given his chaotic and brutal nature, that may not be far from the truth.

What is known about the Joker is that he is a sadistic psychopath, a Mad Jester, as he is sometimes called, who believes society is stagnet. That we as a species have become too set in our ways in what we call "civilized" life, and because of this we have lost our connection with reality around us.
The only way for the human race to grow and expand is to give up their life of rules and manotony, and to once more embrace the raw chaos of nature and the world around them.
And it is up to the Joker to push us in this new direction.

As a young man, the Joker joined a traveling freakshow run by a mysterious masked man called Belsaraph. Starting off as a simple clown, the Joker's showmanship and taste for the theatrical quickly made him stand out above the rest. It wasn't long before Belsaraph took him in and began to teach him about life under the lights, and began to push his world views onto the Joker. And soon Belsaraph became the father figure the Joker seemingly never knew.
And an appropriate role model he was.

Already deemed insane by some, Belsaraph's mad preachings about how humanity has lost it's way struck a cord with the Joker. And he was soon initiated into Belsaraph's inner circle, dubbed The Freakshow, of like-minded individuals. But the Joker felt that his mentor's ways were too outdated. That the only way to change the world was to be bold enough to first burn it down. And so the Joker murdered Belsaraph, roasting the man alive inside his trailer. The Joker led The Freakshow in killing all that didn't share their world view and quickly took control of the carnival, turning it into a movable headquarter in which to spread his propaganda and anarchy across the country.

Now the traveling circus, Belsaraph's Brigade of the Bizarre, has come to Gotham City, setting up shop next to the O'Neil River near the harbor. Let the fun commence!

.The burning question - Why this character?: I had ideas to play the Joker in the first season of this game, but it twasn't meant to be. So, being a lover of villains, I'd figure I'd take another crack at playing the most iconic one of all. But, of course with my own twist on the character.

.How will this version of your character differ from others? How will it be Ultimate?: Other than the origin, I'm making my Joker as more of a murderous mad courtjester.
His underlying goal (currently) is to "free" the people of their pathetic little lives of listlessness and get the world back on track.
He's a metahuman who possesses psychic powers, though he lacks real skill and precision with his mental abilities.

.What do you believe you can bring to the RPG?: Experience in role-playing and...hmmm...yeah, that's pretty much it.

.Provide a sample post as the character you wish to portray, in three paragraphs or more:

He inhaled deeply, his thin lips stretching into a wide smile as the morning sun beat down on his face.

"This will be my greatest performance", the Joker said with a chuckle as he looked out at Gotham City, mere miles away.
Chicago, Indianapolis, Gateway...all cities that have tasted the Joker's twisted brand of reality. But none could compare to the jewel sitting before him. Like a black diamond in the rough, Gotham would be the grandest stage. Here was a populace begging to be set free, and the Joker would not fail them.

The Joker disregarded the massive, green-scaled reptile-man that came up behind him.

"What's the word, boss?"
"Why onward and upward, of course", the Joker cackled and pointing towards the city.

"Wait", he frowned, "that's two words."

"Ah hell, who cares", the Joker laughed as he walked back to the lead truck in the carnval caravan."Let's get the party started!"

The Joker hopped into the passenger's seat of the truck as he crocodillian underling sat behind the wheel. Kicking his feet out the window, the Joker cranked up the radio and rocked out to the music.

Welcome to the jungle
We got fun n' games
We got everthing you need
Honey we know the names
We are the people that can find
Whatever you may need
If you got the money, honey
We got your disease

The semi's engine roared to life, and the procession slowly descended onto an unsuspecting city...

.Do you know how to post pictures on the Hype?: Yes

__________________"Take the risk of thinking for yourself, much more happiness, truth, beauty, and wisdom will come to you that way."

.Powers and physical attributes: Bart has super-speed, with an ability to run close to the speed of light.

.Origin and backstory (as you see it):

Born in 1988, Bart Allen is the oldest son to Barry and Iris Allen. His younger brother Wally was born in 1995.

Barry Allen was a famous detective with the Central City Police, solving the famous Murmur Murders alongside his partner, Jay Garrick.

Finding himself always a bit of a social outcast, Bart always had a love comic book superheroes and science. During his senior year in high school, Bart was working late at the high school science lab when an accident happened. The accident granted Bart mysterious super-powers.

Remembering the comic heroes of his youth, Bart took up a costume and became one of them. The Flash.

Three years later, Bart attends Central City University, majoring in criminal justice during the day as well as being the fastest man alive.

.How will this version of your character differ from others? How will it be Ultimate?: The mainstream version of Bart is a part of a large legacy from his grandfather and cousin, this version of Bart is making his own legacy. Personality wise, Ult. Bart might be a bit closer to Spider-Man

.What do you believe you can bring to the RPG?: Decent RPer, The Flash!

.Provide a sample post as the character you wish to portray, in three paragraphs or more:

Central City University
Now

By the force of some god, I manage to stay awake during Professor Gardner's Middle Age Lit class.

My roomate smiles at me as we meet at the quad.

"Yo, Bart."Ed Thawne says as he flags me down.

"You up for lunch, man?"

"Not today, Eddie. I'm having lunch with my parents at home."

"Over in Keystone? Man, you better hurry. It's already 11:30"

I smile at Ed.

"Don't worry, dude. I got my ways."

*********************

Keystone High School
Three Years Ago

"Don't worry, Dad. I'll be home in a bit." I say into the cell phone as I lean against the lab table. Thunder rolls off in the distance.

"It's just this science project...I really want it to be done right.....yeah, I'll be safe....love you, too."

I sigh a bit as I slip the phone back into my pocket.

It's almost a week until prom and I don't have a date. Hell, I probably won't even go. Don't know what it is about the girls, but them and I don't mix too well. No matter how hard I try.

I turn back to my equipment sitting on the table.

All I need is ammonium. I turn to the supply shelf just as I feel my arms tingle, static electricity makes the hairs on my arms stand on end.

"What the-"

KRARKOOM!

******************

Central City
Now

James Jesse used to be a host of a kids show here in Central, that was before he was caught molesting his audience members.

Since then, he slowly inched closer to madness until he became The Trickster, a practical prank pulling madman who robs banks for kicks.

"And now, for my next trick. Whoopie Cushion of Death!" He announces to the crowd as he pulls out a giant whoopie cushion.

I swear, these guys are getting on my nerves.

WOOSH!

All his clothes dissappear, save for his underwear.

"Dammit!"

"You're under arrest, Jesse." I say as I appear around the crowd, who instantly pull out their camera phones.

"The cops are on their way."

I disappear again as I race towards the river.

I'm late for lunch.

.Do you know how to post pictures on the Hype?: Yeah

__________________

"These are the times that try men's souls... Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph."

-- Thomas Paine

"People never lie so much as after a hunt, during a war or before an election."
-- Otto von Bismarck

Screen name: Red_Robin77
Character you wish to portray: The Question/Detective Vic Sage (Dark Blue Book Antiqua for Vic and Bold Dark Blue Book Antiqua for The Question)
Hero, villain, or walking the line?: Hero
Powers and physical attributes: No powers, but is a fantastic detective and knows various martial arts.
Origin and backstory (as you see it): A cop that's been through the rough patch for his job. He signed up to the GCPD to do the proper thing, only to walk in on corruption after corruption after corruption. He got married to a beautiful woman, but she didn't realise he was married to the job beforehand. She divorced him when he got in so deep that she only saw him at breakfast as a hopeless slump of a man. He'd made himself invest so hard in the job because he had to pick up all the slack from the corrupt cops. He knew there were good men in the force, but there were so little of them compared to the many corrupt that he couldn't stand it. He knew he had to go beyond the law. He found himself with a murder case, which couldn't be solved by any lawful means. When he dragged in the suspects their allies in the force dragged them right back out. He waited till dark, using a balaclava to hide himself, and broke into the suspect's house and beat the answers out of him. The suspect handed himself in the next day. Sage had beaten corruption, and took it upon himself to continue the mission, to win every case, lawful or not. The next day he broke into Star Labs, hoping to find something to aide his crusade. Inside, he found a prosthetic skin, that could bind to your face with the addition of a gas. He stole as much as the gas as possible and took the prosthetic, making himself a new identity. He was The Question.
The burning question - Why this character?: The Question is an awesome character who is very underestimated. He's quite a different character to what I've played before. I really want to see if I can make this Question different to the other interpretations.

How will this version of your character differ from others? How will it be Ultimate?: This Sage is gruff and grasping at straws now, having lost a wife and surrounded in corruption, plus wanting to do anything to make it all better, even going as far to kill.
What do you believe you can bring to the RPG?: I can bring well-planned storylines that you'll all hopefully enjoy. With these storylines, I'll bring with it an all-new kind of detective.

Provide a sample post as the character you wish to portray, in three paragraphs or more:

The idiot thinks he's won. I sit in his moldy armchair, taking a sip of my coffee on the table. I hear the footsteps and smile behind my mask. The door is smashed in and the killer huffs and puffs his way into his living room, gun in hand. I don't bother turning to him.
"You're late. 4.5 minutes to be exact. Coffee?" I offer, throwing the scalding coffee into his face.

He stumbles back in pain, crying out as he holds his face. I pull myself out of the chair and knee him in the crotch viciously before throwing him aside into the wall. I stroll over to him, hands in pocket and bend down.

"So. You killed him."

"I DIDN'T KILL HIM YOU NUT!" he yells back into my face.
"The bullet that was fired matches with your gun other than. Coincidence?"

"Know how many guns of this type they sell?"
"You're the brother who wants the money, with the exact kind of gun. You read your brother's will, now you want the money. Simple."

"You don't know anything!"

"I know physics."

I grab him and pull him along the ground before chucking him through the window, before catching him as he began to flop down. I had him by the scruff of the kneck hanging out of the window and I start to swing him back and forth.

"There's no point hiding it..."

"FINE! YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT I DID? I SHOT HIM DEAD! DEAD!" he screams at the top of his voice.
"Good enough for me."

I swing him onto the ledge next to the window and let go, turning to the phone. I dial 911 and put my hand out the window, handing it to him.
"Tell them what you did. If you don't, I'll come back."

I pull a card out of my pocket and drop it on the floor, walking off towards the door, proud.

.Powers and physical attributes: No powers as such. Firearms training.

.Origin and backstory (as you see it): Born in 1975, Jim led an unremarkable life until he joined the GCPD. He married his childhood sweetheart Barbara and had two children, James and Barbara. Eventually he made Detective and was partnered with Sarah Essen, with whom he later had an affair. They were assigned the Black Mask case, following a group of mobsters with their hands in drugs, people trafficking and a good slice of the organised crime in the Narrows area. After trapping the majority of his low-level thugs in sting operation, Gordon returned home to find his wife dead and his children hidden in a locked cupboard. After some time off from the force, Jim returned with a slightly more bitter outlook on life and a lot less tolerance for criminals.

.The burning question - Why this character?: I feel the need to play a hero, and I feel that Jim's the best man for the job.

.How will this version of your character differ from others? How will it be Ultimate?: Ultimate Jim Gordon will be more bitter and driven than his regular DC counterpart. He'll be less likely to trust Batman and any of his adopted brood.

.What do you believe you can bring to the RPG?: A character and a player.

.Provide a sample post as the character you wish to portray, in three paragraphs or more:

The Narrows

The sedan door was flung open and an auburn haired man with greying temples and a bushy mustache leapt out, pulling a pistol out of his trench-coat as his feet landed on the street. A blonde with shoulder length hair jumped out after him, looking furious.

"Jim!" she shouted as he began to run down the street.

"Dammit Jim, slow down," she said, sprinting after him, pulling out her own gun now.

Silently, he pulled her around a corner, quietening her with a glare. He shuffled over to the sidedoor to the warehouse. As quietly as he could, he opened the door and peered inside.

"Godammit,"he growled as he looked inside.

It was entirely empty except for one solitary figure tied to a chair in the middle of the warehouse. What had once been a little girl was now barely more than a lump of meat, hacked apart by what might well have been a cleaver. Blood had pooled underneath the chair, and god alone knew what the white liquid was. At her feet was a calling card with a black skull imprinted on it.

"Black Mask got here first,".Do you know how to post pictures on the Hype?:

Spoiler!!! Click to Read!:

Character Application

.Screen name: Catman_prb

.Character you wish to portray: General Dru-Zod

.Hero, villain, or walking the line?: Villain. Oh, what a villain

.Powers and physical attributes: As a kryptonian, once he's absorbed the rays of a yellow sun, he gains the powers of flight, near complete invulnerability, enhanced senses and lung capacity, and immeasurable strength that can move planets. Until then he is in peak condition with top military training from the days of Kryton.

.Origin and backstory (as you see it): General Zod was in charge of the Kryptonian military during the days of Old Krypton and was at the head of a campaign that crossed the cosmos. Finally the Kryptonian Armada came upon the end of the universe, the Source Wall itself. The sight turned the Kryptonians insane and the Armada turned on itself. Emerging from the mayhem victorious, due in no small part to the tactical computer B.R.A.I.N.I.A.C, Zod turned his flagship towards his final destination; home. In his insanity, Zod launched an assualt on Krypton itself and it was only ended when the chief scientist, Jor-El, used a super-weapon that opened up a rift into the Phantom Zone itself. Zod's ship was sucked in before the breach was closed.

.The burning question - Why this character?:
I feel like playing the grand villain for once - this does in fact seem like the best opportunity to do it. And who would really turn down the chance to play Zod?

.How will this version of your character differ from others? How will it be Ultimate?: Ultimate Zod will be a conflicted character. On the one hand he'll be a complete monster, on the other hand he's just a man who's been driven insane by what he's seen. He's not going to be a simple smash 'em up one-shot villain, but a well planned, thorough, evil genius.

.What do you believe you can bring to the RPG?: A formidable villain and a dedicated player.

.Provide a sample post as the character you wish to portray, in three paragraphs or more:

Apokolips

Granny Goodness swatted the head of one of her many underlings as they crawled around the laboratory.

"Desaad!" the old harpy shrieked. The cloaked figure hunched over the control panel turned around, glaring at the woman.

"Yes Granny?" he asked, with a well-oiled charm.

"How long?" she hissed, as the many underlings scrabbled about on the ground, soldering wires and circuit boards. One group was working on what looked like a long metal arm with a satellite dish on the end of it.

"Not long now," he said with an infernal patience, as he turned back to the control panel "A few minutes at most,"

There was a crash as the door to the laboratory was blasted open. A dozen emerald clad men swarmed into the room. The Green Lanterns spread out into a circle, restraining the guards who had moved away from their positions at the door. Granny hissed and backed away from the inter-galactic policemen and towards Desaad.

"Granny Goodness, you are accused of breaking passage Br178 of the Betearan Pact," the lead Lantern shouted, leveling his ring at the two advisors.

"Kilowog, a pleasure as always," the leader of the Female Furies said pleasantly, turning to Darkseid's advisor "Desaad," she hissed.

"Done," he said, moving his hands away from the console with a satisfied grin. There was a loud humming sound and an electric blue energy ran up and down the large metal arm.

"What have you done?" Kilowog snarled.

A pulse of blue energy was fired off into the space over Apokolips, blinding the eyes of all those who saw it. For a second nothing happened, and Kilowog looked vaguely triumphant. Then there was a blink as the blue pulse reached it's limit, which the group saw on the viewing screen. As they watched a white expanse opened up in the blackness of space. Slowly, inch by inch, a black ship edged it's way out of the white expanse and into the space over Apokolips. Kilowog's jaw dropped and Granny Goodness eyed the ship hungrily.

"Open a comms channel," she shouted to Desaad.

There was a massive burst of static and the glass roof of the laboratory was smashed into pieces. The viewers clasped their hands over their ears, screaming as the sound drilled through their heads. The glass of the viewing panel shattered, sending shards across the room. At least one Lantern collapsed to the ground bleeding from his ears, nose and eyes. Granny Goodness staggered over to the control panel, shoving Desaad out of the way.

"Turn it off!" she screamed, banging her hands on the console.

"I can't!" Desaad shouted back.

"What in the name of Oa have you done?" Kilowog breathed as blood started to flow from his nose.

As quickly as the noise had started, it stopped. Darkseid's advisors looked at each other.

.Hero, villain, or walking the line?: Mostly Hero, but with a touch of Walking the Line

.Powers and physical attributes: No powers. No special physical attributes, though his good looks have earned him the nickname "Apollo."

.Origin and backstory (as you see it): Harvey Dent grew up in what we might call a "broken" household. His father, Harry, was an alcoholic who went from job to job, usually being fired for his unreliability. Harry Dent met Lucy, Harvey's mother, at a bar, and they had a one-night stand. When Lucy became pregnant, Harry did what was most likely the first responsible thing in his life and stuck around for the kid's sake. However, his responsible streak didn't last. Eventually, Harry returned to his own ways, abandoning Lucy and young Harvey.

Lucy, never intending to be a mother so soon, did not cope well with the pressure. She was working almost nonstop - between a dayjob as a waitress and a nightjob as a barmaid. Harvey was a gifted child, but this only added further burden. The public school system was insufficient for a child of Harvey's intellect, but the Dents couldn't afford anything else. Like Harry Dent, Lucy eventually found relief in the bottle. Unfortunately for Harvey, Lucy became abusive when she drank. It left permanent psychological scars on Harvey.

Despite his tough upbringings, Harvey was determined to make something of himself. He managed to win a scholarship to Columbia, where he excelled. Harvey graduated in the top five percent of his class, and he gained admittance to the Columbia Law School. He was an exemplary pupil, earning him much praise and admiration. In fact, Harvey passed his bar examination on his first attempt - a considerable feat.

When Harvey announced that he wanted to practice in Gotham, many of his peers thought he was being too ambitious for his own good. Gotham was a cesspool of corruption and indecency. This only strengthened Harvey's resolve. He wanted to prove that no city was beyond saving. His meteoric rise through the Gotham court system led to a landslide victory in the District Attorney elections.

Harvey's term as DA was one of the brightest spots in recent history for Gotham. Crime rates plummeted. Corruption was outed and cleansed. Jails filled with members of organized crime. The major crime families realized that they weren't invincible. This all earned Harvey the admiration of the public - who dubbed him their "White Knight" - but it also earned him the loathing of the criminals, who wanted nothing more than to see Harvey fall.

It became clear to Harvey that as DA, he could only do so much. Corruption ran deep in Gotham, even all the way up to the Mayor's office. Harvey, despite his rousing public support, didn't have enough power to cleanse that. So, instead, he did what he could. When the time came, Harvey ran against incumbent Gillian Loeb. Riding on a wave of public opinion, Harvey won the office in a tightly-contested battle.

Harvey, now almost a year into his term, realizes the immense pressure on the Mayor. Even with Commissioner Gordon and new District Attorney Rachel Dawes working tirelessly, the crime seemingly never stops. While it's still way down from before, it has begun to plateau only slightly. However, everything isn't as straightforward as it seems. Despite his attempts to stay true to his morals, Harvey is quickly realizing that a deal with the Devil may be unavoidable. It's far better than the alternative of outright war.

.The burning question - Why this character?: Harvey Dent is a challenge, but that only makes him all the more appealing. In many ways, it forces the writer to develop two separate characters simultaneously: the heroic Dent and the sinister Big Bad Harvey. If it can be accomplished, however, the result is a delectably torn character. This inner struggle, this question of justice and punishment is something we all tussle with at times. How many of us have been wronged and wanted nothing more than revenge? How often have we denied ourselves that revenge because it isn't "right?" Well, this is the issue Harvey struggles with every day. His position of power leaves him ultimate responsibility.

Furthermore, Harvey's fall is a tragic story that any poster would give their left hand to write (and my opponents actually will! ). It affects all the members of Gotham deeply, but perhaps none more than Batman. With Harvey as a trusted ally, Batman sees the light at the end of the tunnel. Suddenly, ultimate victory over crime in Gotham doesn't seem so impossible. Batman's crusade can finally have an end. But when Harvey falls, it undoes everything for Batman, rattling his core - as well as Gotham's. The same is true of Gordon, another one of Harvey's confidants.

Finally, I've been dying to play Two-Face at some point. He has too much history to wrestle with in World of Heroes, on top of the fact that he's taken (love ya, Syn! ). In One Universe, I'd be forced to follow Keyser Soze's epic three-season long arc. That's an act I'm not sure many of us can follow. And, finally, in here (pre-reboot), the RPG was dying, and Batman - at the time - was in another dimension. Not exactly the environment one wants for a character. But here we are, at the precipice of a brand new continuity, which means no history to contend with - save for the backstory I've created.

.How will this version of your character differ from others? How will it be Ultimate?: Well, I don't know why, but something about having Harvey abused by his mother rather than his father appealed to me. Thus, I've decided to keep that small aspect. I guess it's new and "edgy," the very definition of "Ultimate," but I think there's a part where I can see Lucy Dent scolding her son for being a "bad boy." Of course, this means I'll have to make the coin come from somewhere else, but I'll figure it out. Honest.

Unlike most continuities, my Ultimate Harvey Dent has made it through life as a District Attorney. Granted, there were probably enough attempts to kill him to count on two hands, but they were all unsuccessful. He survived the mob and moved up the ladder to Mayor of Gotham, where a brand new set of problems will face him. Maintaining control of Gotham will be far different from what Harvey was expecting, and - though he's almost a year into his term - Harvey's still learning the ropes. Making him Mayor changes his dynamic with Gordon, Rachel, and even Batman. It also gives him the ability to realize how deep corruption runs, and how great the task facing him is.

.What do you believe you can bring to the RPG?: Reliability, above all else, is probably my best quality. If it's an RPG concept I'm committed to, I'll stick with it (see also: Dawn/Rise of Marvels). I don't often hold up arcs, and - when I do - it usually takes only one reminder to get me back on track. I'm looking forward to playing off of the other members of Gotham, and I hope they can look forward to playing off of me.

Next, I hope to bring an honest portrayal of Harvey. I want to make his quest for justice a genuine struggle. Harvey's not naďve. He knows that sometimes conventional justice isn't going to work - not in a city so corrupt. However, he simply can't bring himself to cross that line. Luckily for Harvey - although also unbeknownst to him - there is a part of him that will cross that line. Yes, I want to bring a honest portrayal of Big Bad Harvey (who I might rename), including a realistic depiction of Multiple Personality Disorder - before the accident, that is.

Finally, I like to think I'm continually progressing as a writer. The more I do it, the more I'm able to pick up on flaws (or what I perceive to be them, anyway). I try not to post for posting's sake, so everything I do will have a point and purpose. Interaction is the lifeblood of all RPGs, and I hope to clearly define Harvey's relationship with all the characters.

.Provide a sample post as the character you wish to portray, in three paragraphs or more:

As the car pulls to a stop, I resist to urge to let out a groan. The growing pain between my eyes is almost all I can think about. It also doesn't help that I haven't gotten a good night's sleep in almost a week. I'm haunted by these horrific visions - some past or future I'll never know. It doesn't matter. All that matters is that I feel terrible, and this is the last thing I need.

My driver opens the door, and I nod approvingly. I step out onto the damp sidewalk. It's been raining for the past three days. Seems like Mother Nature echoes my mood. My driver closes the door a little too loudly, and I wince as my head throbs. I shake it off and begin to slow walk up to the front door.

A small crowd has gathered by the police tape. They're looking on with malicious curiosity. They remind me of the Romans, flooding the Colosseum with a horrifyingly natural bloodthirst. It's human nature, I suppose. No matter how terrific, we can't help but watch and study. Something about blood and death captivates us. It's this very nature that I must fight against. However, I believe - in my heart of hearts - that the human race can overcome it. We're more civilized.

I hope.

On my way to the elevator, I pass several officers. Some of them are too engrossed in their work to notice. Some simply nod. A couple acknowledge me aloud. No matter the response, I'm too engrossed with my own thoughts to notice them. I make for the elevator with a dreaded sense of purpose.

I ride the elevator car alone to the sixth floor. When the doors open, I'm greeted with a busy sight. Police officers moving to and fro with the urgency befitting of a crime of this nature. I'm forced to walk almost sideways down the hallway to get to my destination. The room itself, however, contains only two people. Two living people, anyway.

Commissioner Gordon clears his throat, and the photographer stands up. Nodding to me, he scurries out of the room. My eyes immediately go to the tarp placed against the far wall. Beneath it, the telltale shape of a body can be seen. Like the onlookers below, I can't tear my eyes away. It takes Gordon's throat clearing to get my attention once more.

"Another one?" I announce dully. I don't know quite what else to say. Gordon crosses the room to where I'm standing. He holds out a folder. Obediently, I take it and examine its contents. "One of Maroni's men," I note aloud.

Gordon nods. "A low-level enforcer," he explains with a sigh. "Odds are, Maroni won't notice he's gone for at least a week. He's a nobody." Gordon crosses his arms. I notice that he, too, is focused on the tarped body. "My men brought him in a few weeks ago. We thought we had him cold on a rape and murder."

"What happened?"

Gordon shakes his head. "You know how mob lawyers are. He managed to get some key evidence thrown out, cast some suspicion on the girl's alcoholic ex-boyfriend." Gordon hangs his head. I know he hates losing these guys as much as I do. "He got off clean. Had a Hell of a celebration from what I heard."

"I think Rachel," I begin. Gordon turns his head. This time, it's me who clears a throat. "I think Miss Dawes handled that case," I state emotionlessly. She told me about it over the phone. I was reading a proposal at the time, so I was only half-listening. I think she realized. "It's a shame."

Gordon allows some silence to pass before saying in a low voice, "Mr. Mayor, this is the fourth one this month." A fact that I was already aware of. A fact that has me feeling very uneasy. "Mob ties, recently acquitted, and - of course - the M.O." It just so happened that, at that particular point, I turn to the photos of the uncovered body. Gruesome, to say the least. "Two shots. One in the heart, one in the head."

I close the folder. I've seen enough. "How long can we keep this under wraps?" I ask nervously. I know how quickly the public panics at the mention of "serial killer" - even if that serial killer seems to be targeting mob members.

"Not long, Harvey," Gordon answers honestly and informally. Our relationship far surpasses that of a Commissioner and a Mayor. Gordon and I are old friends, dating back to my early days as a fledgling attorney and his days as a sergeant. Gordon moves closer. "The public, they're getting suspicious. And I don't need to tell you that the families don't like someone targeting their own men."

"You worry about the families. I'll take care of the public," I explain. I place a reassuring hand on Gordon's shoulder. "We'll catch this guy, Gordon. I promise." At that moment, I only wish I believed myself.

***

THE PREVIOUS NIGHT

Mario Visigolio enters his darkened apartment at night. His hair and jacket are coated in a fine layer of rain. He shakes his head vigorously as he removes his jacket. As his apartment door closes, the room is bathed in total darkness. I watch silently from the armchair. When Mario finally does turn the light on, his back is turned. That's when he hears it.

Tiiiiiiiiing-thap.
Tiiiiiiiiing-thap.
Tiiiiiiiiing-thap.

He turns slowly, almost petrified in horror. "Dent?" he coughs. His voice almost fails him. I watch his eyes follow my coin as I goes up and down. Up and down. Up and down. Always moving, always shifting. Like justice. Fleeting, yet powerful.

I ignore his question. I'm tired of being referred to as this "Dent" character. To me, he sounds like a schmuck. "Heard about your trial," I growl. I spin the coin between my fingers for a moment before flipping it once more. My eyes never leave his. Finally, he forces himself to look away. "Certainly was a whole lot of evidence stacked against you. Looked very bad." I catch the coin and grip it in my fist. "I guess you're a lucky man."

"JUSTICE?!" I bark, jumping to my feet. "YOU CALL WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU 'JUSTICE?!' YOUR TRIAL WAS A FARCE!" I take my hand out of my pocket, revealing the loading revolver for Mario to see. "No, Mr. Visigolio, I'm here on behalf of justice." I pull back the hammer.

"Please, Dent! I'll turn myself in!" he pleads.

I scowl. "You think I wouldn't want that?" I ask incredulously. "It's called 'double jeopardy,' Mario! A major flaw in a majorly flawed justice system!" Oh, how I hate the courts. They're so powerless. Too busy fighting the symptoms and not the disease. "Besides, you had your chance to come clean. And no man gets a second chance."

I raise the revolver.

"Dent, don't do this! Please! I'll do anything! I'll...I'll...I'll tell you about Maroni! Huh, how's that sound? I'll help you take him down, Dent!"

I laugh maliciously. "YOU help ME?! You're just an enforcer, Mario! What the Hell could you possibly know that could be of any use to me?" He has no answer. That's because there is none. "And don't worry, Mario. I'll take Maroni down soon enough."

.Character you wish to portray:Lex Luthor, the greatest criminal mind of all time!

.Hero, villain, or walking the line?: Villain. Hooo boy, is he a villain.

.Powers and physical attributes: Luthor has no paranormal abilities or alien heritage, nor does he need them. What he has instead is a mind so advanced, so quick, so horrifyingly vast, that many believe he may very well be the next stage of human evolution. That intelligence, along with his uncanny business sense and unmatched charisma, has given Luthor the largest fortune in the world, allowing him to develop technology and weapons so advanced they might as well be magic, as well as legions of dedicated and loyal followers on virtually every level of society. There is virtually no place in Metropolis where Lex Luthor does not have eyes, ears, and weapons at the ready.

.Origin and backstory (as you see it): The prodigal son of industrialist Lionel Luthor and his wife Lillian, Alexander was always both gifted and cursed by his astounding intelligence. While it was certainly impressive that he was able to read at a high-school level before entering kindergarten, his social development suffered for it. His twin brother Julian regularly beat him up throughout their childhood, a result of feeling threatened by him. The other schoolchildren did the same. His own mother was honestly afraid of him; while she would comfort him and tell him he was 'special,' every day in the back of her mind, there was a growing dread that her boy was becoming something terrible. Lex's father, on the other hand, was all too eager to feed the boy's ever-accelerating mental development, never bothering to look at his son's present but rather his future. In Lex, Lionel saw greatness.

And so the family would pack up and move across the globe, wowing the heads of prestigious institutes, becoming the toast of the world's leading techno-centric hubs, doing everything they could to keep Lex on the fast track to success. Julian suffered for it, never getting to have any friends before having to move again, never getting out from under his brother's shadow, never having an identity or life of his own. At age sixteen, Julian hanged himself, and his death was the first time since infancy that Lex felt genuine emotion.

(NOTE: this next part is rather dependent on whether the guy who gets Superman [I'm guessing Spike will pick him up again] is okay with it)

Seeing the need to move to a more wholesome atmosphere for a while, the Luthors decided to finish Lex's education in a small, friendly rural community in Kansas called Smallville. Lex even enrolled in a public school for the first time, begging his parents to give him the chance to live like a regular teenager. Still used to flaunting his brain-power and being treated like a celebrity in the science community, he came off to most as arrogant and condescending, which only alienated him even more. The only person he could really relate to on any personal level was a particularly gifted farm boy by the name of Clark Kent, although Lex never really considered himself a friend--frankly, he never learned how to make friends, or saw the need for them at all. Everyone else shunned him quietly, and he in turn despised them openly. While it was meant to brighten up his life after his brother's death, Lex's time in Smallville only made his thoughts and feelings darker.

While in Kansas, he did find one thing that kept him intellectually stimulated: a sample of unbelievably rare extraterrestrial mineral that had landed there as part of a freak meteor shower some years prior. Absolutely fascinated by the incredible amounts of energy given off by the rock--and its remarkably clean radiation--he set to work on testing its potential applications.

Tragically, his experiments the rock would lead to disaster, as an overloaded circuit would eventually cause an explosion that utterly destroyed the Luthors' home. He suffered second- and third-degree burns on over half of his body, disfiguring him completely. His mother and father did not survive the blast at all. With all of his family dead and his research ruined, Lex had no reason to remain in Smallville, and would practically disappear for almost five years.

At the age of twenty-three, Lex Luthor unexpectedly re-appeared on the Metropolis scene. Having undergone several rounds of extensive plastic surgery, his burn scars were completely gone--along with his hair and eyebrows, unfortunately.

Far more remarkable, however, was the transformation of his personality. Gone was the introverted, demeaning, almost misanthropic walking-brain that had driven so many people away. Now, Lex was a smooth talker, a wild playboy, a shrewd businessman, and a natural showman, all without losing a shred of his staggering brilliance. People from all walks of life began to gravitate toward him, practically worship him, and within a year of his taking the helm, he Lex had taken the floundering LuthorCorp (now re-christened as LexCorp) and made it one of the most profitable companies in America. After another year, it was the most profitable company in the world. Tens of thousands of patents flowed from the newly-constructed LexCorp Tower in Metropolis, ranging from city-spanning energy shields and self-sustaining space stations, to a more efficient toaster.

What made many uneasy, however, was the intricate web of connections Lex began weaving with a myriad of organizations. Private military contractors, 'community outreach' programs in cities across America, major media outlets, banks and financial firms, all churning out praise for Luthor and his new movement simply known as "Society." Several Senators and Representatives began passing suspicious bills that seemed only to benefit LexCorp or its many, many subsidiaries. Critics began either drastically changing their tone or suddenly finding themselves out of work. While there were many who had doubts about Luthor's plan for America, there were few who could truly oppose him.

Until Superman arrived.

Bursting onto the scene with all the pomp and pageantry of a mythological god, Superman began breaking people's devotion away from Luthor, and little by little, began exposing Luthor's true motives. While there were still many in the country who would believe anything Lex said, Superman's mere presence and defiance began sprouting a grassroots campaign against the Society, spurred on by the infuriatingly popular Daily Planet. What began as simply a freakish do-gooder became a massive stumbling-block for Lex's designs.

Three years later, Lex Luthor is growing more powerful than ever, but has to fight tooth-and-nail for every bit he gets. He has devoted almost all of his attention to discrediting and destroying the alien, and while he maintains his cool and suave demeanor on the outside, his repeated failures to oust Superman are turning him into a fanatical maniac on the inside. He is raising an army to do his bidding, and has unthinkable weapons at his disposal. Lex Luthor believes the only solution is all-out war on Superman. And in his mind, the spoils are the very future of the human race itself.

.The burning question - Why this character?: First of all, because I had a hoot and a half coming up with crazy crap for Lex to do the first time around. While I always thought of 'billionaire Lex' as a poor man's Norman Osborn, I absolutely fell in love with the character between Justice League Unlimited and All-Star Superman, showing me potential that I never really saw carried out in the comics. Plus, I'm a sucker for the kind of super-science that someone like Luthor can do.

.How will this version of your character differ from others? How will it be Ultimate?: Firstly, this Luthor is going to be a lot more active than simply sitting behind his desk and talking about how 'untouchable' he is. Lex is going to be constantly interfering with Superman and the rest of the Justice League, keeping them guessing as to whether he's simply out for blood or just keeping them busy while he enacts his master plans.

Speaking of master plans, Lex is going to be going way above and beyond the scope we usually see him. World domination is only the starting point for what he's got in mind. And considering the beyond-high-tech weaponry at his disposal, taking him down really is going to be a job for Superman.

On a more internal level, I really want to play around with Lex's head, swinging him back and forth from being completely unattached, to sick with grief over his past traumas. He may even attempt to re-kindle his old friendship with Clark Kent from time to time, which will only drive him further into madness when he inevitably discovers who's been behind those glasses the whole time.

.What do you believe you can bring to the RPG?: A villain that can be a large-scale threat over and over and over again, as well as a complex and hopefully engaging look at how far a 'messiah' figure can fall. Also, I am not above bribery.

.Provide a sample post as the character you wish to portray, in three paragraphs or more:

My office is flooded with harsh red light, alarms and klaxons blaring. My earpiece rings with frenzied radio signals, the last terrified screams of my security detail, before they are crushed or frozen or burned away into ashes.

He's coming for me.

The Man of Tomorrow.

He's coming to take away everything that is mine. Everything I was born to make mine. Everything in the world. He's going to take the world away from me.

The reinforced Nth-Metal doors begin to buckle from the thunderous blows of his fists. Emergency subroutines activate a labyrinth of force fields between him and me. I push the button to teleport me somewhere safe, but nothing happens. Because nowhere is safe. Not from him.

The doors collapse, and I see his silhouette through the force-fields as he simply wades through them like they don't even exist. He is every bit the legend they say he is. He is loved, and rightfully so. But beyond his morals and his charm and his handsome good looks, he wields a power that would shake the Earth to its core. He is the end of the world, and I am the only one who sees it.

I turn, try to make it to the trap door behind my chair, but I cannot get up. The trap door opens, and...

"...no..."

Another silhouette, every bit as familiar and frightening as the destroyer that is bearing down on me. Feet hovering a foot off the ground, swaying back and forth in front of an overturned chair. Arms hanging limply from his sides, spiked bracelets worn as a personal rebel flag. Shaggy hair hanging down to the shoulders, covering a bloated face...

...and obscuring the noose around the neck.

"Julian...no..."

His mouth never moves, but I hear his voice.

"You didn't save me, Lex..."
The klaxons and alarms have stopped sounding, but the room still glows red.

"You didn't save me..."

"From what?!" I ask my long dead twin brother.

"From you, Lex. You didn't save me from you."
The red light grows brighter, and I can feel flames begin to lick at my feet.

"Don't worry, Julian..." I hear him say, before turning around to face him. "I'll save you!"
The alien grins with that wide, toothy grin he does for the cameras, while his eyes glow red like hot coals. The flames around me climb higher and higher, until I realize they're coming from his eyes. In his eyes, I see the end of the world...

...and then I awake in a cold sweat.

L-Soft thoughtfully asks if I would like a glass of water to help me sleep, but I shoo the little hovering robot away, and walk to the window. I gaze out from my penthouse, at the dazzling sea of lights that make up my city after dark, and in my mind's eye, I can see every single person those lights are for.

.Character you wish to portray: Slade Wilson/Deathstroke The Terminator/Ravager

.Hero, villain, or walking the line?: Hero/Villian/Walking The Line

.Powers and physical attributes: Slade has all the abilities of a man in peak physical condition. As Deathstroke, he has all these along with a brilliant strategical mind. As Ravager, he has the abilites with the mental capacity of a 16 year old girl, proned to mood swings and such.

.Origin and backstory (as you see it):

Born to an alcholic mother and a father with a long history of mental illness, Slade Wilson was a trouble maker has a child with a reputation as a liar. Often as a boy, he claimed to have no knowledge of these wicked deeds and was often beaten by his parents even as he claimed he was innocent.

Dropping out of high school, Slade enlisted in the US Army where he excelled, making it all the way to Major in just a few years.

In the late 90's, he was court-marshalled after he was accused of rape by a female soldier. Claming to have no knowledge of the incident, Wilson's lawyers had him take a psychiatric evaluation where the results came back that Slade had a mental illness. Multiple Personality Disorder, his alter-ego had raped the girl.

Due to this, Wilson did not recieve any jail time for the crime, but was dishonorably discharged from the army.

No in 2009, Slade works as a member of a security company. He takes medicine to control his disorder, or so he thinks. Unknown to Slade, his alter-ego moonlights as an assassin. Deathstroke The Terminator. A third personality has also developed. Rose Wilson, a 16-year old girl that represents Slade's feminine side.

.The burning question - Why this character?: I like Slade as Deathstroke, and this version gives me a chance to have some fun with the character.

.How will this version of your character differ from others? How will it be Ultimate?: Read the app. He's ****ing nuts, dude!

.What do you believe you can bring to the RPG?: Decent RPer, and a crazy ass assassin.

.Provide a sample post as the character you wish to portray, in three paragraphs or more:

Kabul, Afghanistan

I stifle a yawn as I sit in the back of the classroom. I'm getting paid close to 50 grand to babysit this American professor as he lectures about the injustices of the Taliban.

"How was my speech, Mr. Wilson?" He asks as we leave the lecture hall.

"Sounded just as good as it did in Baghdad, sir."

"Wonderful. Take me to the hotel."

After driving him to the hotel, I go to my room, take two of my pills and quietly go to sleep.

***********

A small smile spreads across my face as my eyes snap open.

Dumbass Wilson thinks he took his pills. He doesn't know that I replaced them with sugar pills. Guess he'll find out soon enough.

Quietly sliding out of bed, I tip toe out of my room with a small case. The professor gave Slade a copy of his card key in case anything happened.

I gently open the door and hear him snoring.

Closing the door behind me, I open my case and grab the syringe and poison. It's quiet, descreet, and hardens the arteries within hours. It will look like the guy died in his sleep. As much as I can't stand Slade, I still need his job to get to these people.

I stick the syringe in the target's neck and squeeze all the poison out.

Slade gets paid 50k for watching this guy, I get paid 100k for killing him. Not a bad day's pay if I do say so myself.

Best part about it is I can buy shoes!

I quickly look around the room. Where the hell did that come from?

I shake it off as I grab my cellphone and dial the number.

"Deathstroke here. It's taken care of." I hang up and sneek back to Wilson's room.

With any luck, Slade will discover him dead before breakfast.

************

After that creepy man falls asleep, I wake up and slide out of bed.

"Oh my god, I look so terrible."I say as I look into the mirror.

I take off these stupid pajamas and slip into my clubbing gear. My hot pink miniskirt, lime green tank top and ugg boots. I slap on some lipstick as I blow a kiss to myself in the mirror.

"It's illegal to look this good!" I say as I leave the room and head out to hit the town.

.Do you know how to post pictures on the Hype?: Yeah.

__________________

"These are the times that try men's souls... Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph."

-- Thomas Paine

"People never lie so much as after a hunt, during a war or before an election."
-- Otto von Bismarck

.Powers and physical attributes: It's not a power, per say, but Oliver is exceptionally skilled with a bow and arrow. Or a crossbow. Or, really, any projectile, but he typically sticks with those two. Furthermore, Ollie has trained his body to its peak potential, making him a formidable combatant and a skilled swordsman. Oh, and while it's neither a power nor a physical attribute, it's worth noting that Ollie is filthy rich - meaning nearly endless resources.

.Origin and backstory (as you see it): Oliver Queen was born to Robert and Laura Queen, billionaire socialites in Star City. Robert Queen founded Queen Industries, one of the largest companies behind LexCorp and Wayne Enterprises. Oliver was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but as a result of his parents' busy schedules, he never quite got to know them as well as he would have liked. His opportunity to do so was lost when they were killed in a tragic plane accident following a business trip.

In their will, the Queens left the running of the Queen Industries to Oliver, but he was far too young. Oliver was sent away to boarding school while the company fell into the hands of Connor Hawke, one of Robert Queen's oldest business partners. Hawke was annoyed that Oliver was given control over Queen Industries, but he remained silent. In the meantime, Ollie grew quite a reputation as a wild child.

When Ollie turned eighteen, he returned to Star City to fulfill his obligation to his parents. Hawke, however, had other plans. He framed Ollie for possession with intent to sell, sending Ollie away to prison. In Ollie's absence, Hawke was granted control over Queen Industries at last. However, while Hawke reveled in his victory, Ollie lived among the worst of the worst, plotting his revenge.

Eight years later, Ollie's due to be released early on good behavior. His time inside has given him a new perspective, and he's ready to set out on a quest that he feels is necessary.

.The burning question - Why this character?: The prospect of playing a normal guy on a mission intrigues me. Ollie's troubled past makes him an interesting character to wrap your head around. And, with this new backstory, I'm ready to set out on a Season-long quest to restore Ollie's name and reputation. It's a story that will be fun to tell, and will act as a springboard into the future.

.How will this version of your character differ from others? How will it be Ultimate?: This is a younger Ollie. As a quick review of basic mathematics, Ollie was eighteen when he went in. He spent eight years in federal prison. That means he's twenty-six years old. In truth, he knows next to nothing about running Queen Industries. If he had it his way, that responsibility wouldn't fall on him. But he isn't going to shy away from it. We get to watch Ollie mature - although, he'll still be good ol' Ollie. Womanizing, partying, drinking, etc. These vices will still plague him. But underneath it all, he has a mission.

.What do you believe you can bring to the RPG?: Reliability and excitement. I still don't know where I "rank" in terms of quality, but I'd like to think that - at the very least - my stories are interesting, if not always superbly written.

.Provide a sample post as the character you wish to portray, in three paragraphs or more:

"You were in prison?" the blonde asks excitedly. I can tell by her tone that she has no idea what imprisonment's like. She speaks as if it's something to be proud of, like it was a pleasant little adventure or something. I don't bother to burden her with the reality of prison life. I just sit and wait as the next logical question arises. "What were you in for?"

"Possession with intent," I answer carelessly. I've answered the question so many times that the answer comes automatically now. Besides, it's hard to be emotional about a crime you didn't commit. Now, I'm not saying I'm a saint, but I'm willing to accept the wrongs I've done. That was not one of them. I wave for the bartender, motioning to my empty glass. He nods and begins preparing another drink.

The brunette draws closer. I know girls like bad boys, but I sometimes find it sickening that jailtime is a turn-on for some of these women. It most certainly wasn't a turn-on for me. "So what was it like in there?" she asks interestedly.

I pause as I decide whether or not to tell her the truth, or to dumb it down for her. People who don't know what that world is like are lucky, and I see no reason for me to burden them with it. However, I feel like they wouldn't idolize it so much if they understood. As I think, the bartender places my drink in front of me.

"What was it like?" I repeat, making my decision. "It was the worst Hell imaginable." I pull away from her suffocating grip and lean forward, grabbing my drink. As I down the glass, I stand up. "Until next time, ladies," I announce unsorrowfully. I'm glad to be free of them, to tell the truth.

"But you don't--"

Before she can finish, I'm already halfway across the deafening dance floor. I politely squeeze my way through the crowd. The front door to the club is in sight. For one night, I think I'll have a better time away from these kind of people.

.Powers and physical attributes: When Billy shouts the word SHAZAM he is hit with a magical bolt of lightning turning him into the world's mightest mortal, Captain Marvel.

As Captain Marvel he has the wisdom of Solomon which grants him a vast amount of knowledge. The strength of Hercules which gives him one of the strongest beings on the planet. The stamina of Atlas which grants him supreme endurance. He can withstand most attacks and he does not need to eat, sleep, or breathe. The power of Zeus enhances his other physical abilites also a resitance to all magic. A is for the courage of Achilles. Finally, M is for the speed of Mercury which allows him to travel nearly the speed of light.

.Origin and backstory (as you see it): Billy spent most of his life by himself. His parents were mostly overseaes working as archaeologists. Though, one Billy recieve terrible news both his parents died in a cave in.

Billy was sent to Fawcett City Orphanage ran by the cruel Mr. Sivana*. Sivana detested imagination and fun in general beating into the children's head the use of logic and reason. Billy was a good natured kid though he didn't have many friends, that was discouraged by Sivana. Instead, he created three imaginary friends. There was thr mischievous Mxy, the good natured but easily influenced Mite and the wise and loyal Tawky, the leader. Mxy a weird little man in a bowler hat and purple suit, Mite was a imp dressed like Zorro, and Tawky was a tiger in a suit.

One day a strange monster, Mxy, had attack the headmaster and nearly kill him. Do to the quick thinking of Billy he saved Sivana but only to lost him to a heart attack. Even though Sivana was cruel to Billy he still saved his life. Tawky revealed himself to Billy to be very real and take him to the wizard, Shazam. The went to the Rock of Eternity. Which wasn't some cave with a rock, chair, and the sins but some much more wonderous. It was a multi leveled wonder floating in its own little section of time and space. It was filled with fantastic items and beings from all over the universe and dimensions, that would be explored much deeper in season.

The Wizard ask Billy if he would like to bear the burden of becoming his champion, to protect the universe. Become a superhero? Would any kid say no? I don't think so. Billy took up the mantle of Captain Marvel to fight the forces of evil.

*The mad scientist version Sivana will show up and its a pretty major plot point

.The burning question - Why this character?: Playing Captain Marvel in two different RPGs? Wha? Well Master Bruce would play Batman in the Marvel RPG if he could so...but with the Ultimate I'm pretty much building from the ground up and with a character like Captain Marvel there is pretty much no limits where to go. Also, Superman was taken
What I love about Captain Marvel is that he is just a pure 110% superhero where I can let my imagination, a theme I'm playing with, run wild.

this version of your character differ from others? How will it be Ultimate?: Well the character of Captain Marvel and Billy are pretty much the same. There is no way to make him darker or edgier without completly ruining the entire idea of Captain Marvel. Its what's around him thats changed. I was going to have Captain Marvel just be Captain Marvel but I kept Billy. I came up with a great idea for him for a story that I hope plays out soon.

The Wizard and The Rock of Eternity- Well, like I said I had some ideas for Superman well here's where they come in. The Rock of Eternity is much more like the All-Star and silver age version of the Fortress of Solitude. An amazing collection of things from all over the galaxy. Its not just limited to just fantasy things, this is a place where science looks like magic were they both clash. The Wizard is going to less serious and much more eccentric, a unverisal traveller with mega powers.

Tawky, Mxy, and Mite- Tawky is pretty much the same. And I hope people don't care if I use some of their "enemies". Mxy and Mite are going to be paling around as two new members of the Marvel family.

.What do you believe you can bring to the RPG?: Just me

.Provide a sample post as the character you wish to portray, in three paragraphs or more:

"Don't do it." The imp said in a worried voice.

"Ahhh, what's the worst that could happen, ya fifth dimensiol baby." I guess Mxy never heard the story of Pandora's box. In the next minute Captain Marvel was blasting through the skies of Fawcett City gathering up as many of the monsters that crawel their way out of the box.

"Mxy."

"Yea, boss." He was flying around with a safari outfit with a giant net chasing monsters.

"I'm very disappointed in you."

"Heh, when are you not."

"Good point."

"Arrhhgggboggaboggabooga!" A giant slime monster crawled through the city.

"Holey moley!" The monster knocked a tree into the air. "Oh no, up in the tree!"

"What? What was it!" Captain Marvel flew toward it and before the tree smashed into the ground he flew back to his pals with a cat in his hands. The cat was purring in his hands and he gave it to Mite.

"Can you hold on to this?"

"S..sure thing, boss."

"Hold on, be right back. I've dealt with bigger and worst sludge monsters" He flew back toward the giant slime monsters that was now trying to chew on a building. Mxy snapped his fingers and turned the cat into a sabertooth tiger.

.Powers and physical attributes: World-renowned professor of medicine and biology. Crane is a man weak in stature yet strong in mind. Is an incredibly gifted chemist.

.Origin and backstory (as you see it): Crane grew up in a rather wealthy home to loving parents Angela and Robert Crane. He had a happy childhood and was often noted as being a fearless little boy that would confront anything and everyone. He always had an interest in human psychology, in his later years keeping it more as a hobby than a profession, following in his father's footsteps to become a Doctor. At the young age of 21 Crane did a stint of volunteer work in Arkham Asylum, these months proved to be eye-opening for the young medical professional, as he interacted with true suffers of many different kinds of mental illness. Now at the age of 28, Crane has applied for a full time job inside Arkham is it's youngest ever Medical Consultant.

.The burning question - Why this character?: I always found Crane to be fascinating and a brilliant parallel to his usual nemesis Batman. I feel as though I can bring something different with Crane, not the usual sympathetic villain that came from a bad neighbourhood with asbusive parents. Crane is someone that goes stark raving mad for no reason at all. He has no excuse, which is refreshing.

.How will this version of your character differ from others? How will it be Ultimate?: This Crane is a bit younger, more confident and strong willed. His up bringing was idyllic and his mother didn't die on him. He's a medical doctor rather than a psychiatrist and resides on Arkham Island.

.What do you believe you can bring to the RPG?: A villain that isn't really going to be all that villainous for awhile, at least not overtly. Also, you lucky bastards, this is the first DC game I've ever played in (not including WSS)

.Provide a sample post as the character you wish to portray, in three paragraphs or more:

Arkham Diary Entry #034

The island has welcomed me with open arms, I now officially reside on Arkham. It's a strange thought, that I am to be living on a small patch of land surrounded by water on all sides, reminds me somewhat of Alcatraz. The feeling of claustrophobia is likely to subside within my first few weeks here, a natural emotional reaction to being 'stuck' on an island on which an asylum is housed with only one way on our off being the bridge into the Narrows. Ironic, most of the people stuck in the asylum itself originate from The Narrows. On second thought I may want to investigate this.

In any case I had an official meet and greet with the staff here, most of them perfectly competant and friendly and some of them are still here from my volunteer work as a student, they even baked me a small cake to mark my arrival and tenure here, I was most flattered. However a few things about the asylum concern me, first and foremost I have yet to meet Professor Arkham himself, I feel as though a talk with him would put my mind to rest about other, smaller issues. Is it not proper for an employer to meet his employee on his first day of work?

My quarters are more than homely and suitable, I have a small apartment within the staff block of houses. Four rooms and a kitchen and bathroom to myself rather than the shared quarters downstairs. Not that it would bother me in the slightest If I were to share with the rest of the staff, I almost feel as though I am one of the inmates myself now that I've been cordened off into my very own apartment!

All joking aside I look forward to starting my work in earnest tomorrow, apparently I'm to be taken on a tour of the facility and meet a few of the inmates. I wonder if some of the older ones remember me? I'm sure I'll remember a few of the more... unforgettable cases I met back as a student. As for now however I feel it best I get a full night's rest, tomorrow is likely to be a rather busy day.

.Powers and physical attributes: Hal Jordan possesses one of the most powerful weapons in the Universe: A Green Lantern Power Ring. He is also an accomplished Air Force pilot and currently an airline pilot at Ferris Airlines, one of the biggest commercial airliners in the US.

The Green Lantern Ring is a standard issue weapon that grants the wearer the abilities of flight, a protective aura that allows them to breath in space, interstellar travel, energy blasts and the ability to create hard-light constructs (an ability within the ring that is only available to those over the legal age of their own sector, 2814's legal age being 18). All of these ring's gifts being powered by the wearer's willpower and power to overcome fear. The ring's power however, depletes as it is used for prolonged periods without recharging. The ring is recharged when it's "Power Battery" (in actuality it is a beacon that siphons solar energy from nearby stars and converts it into the same energy contained within the Central Power Battery, the power source that powers the entire planet of Oa rather than the Corps rings like the mainstream version) activates when the wearer recites the GL Corps Oath.

However, the energy within the Great Power Battery and all Power Rings is not without their impurities, such as the "Fear" Impurity that leaves almost all GL Corps members' rings unable to affect anything yellow; the color that embodies the fear emotion on the Emotional Spectrum. Not to mention many other impurities yet to be realized...

.Origin and backstory (as you see it):

Hal's Origin:

Harold Jordan suffered a tragic loss when he learned of his father Martin's death. Ace Pilot Martin Jordan's fighter jet crashed in a dogfight over Iraqi airspace during Desert Storm, and that day, the Air Force lost one of it's best. This news not only caused the young Harold to grieve, but it served another purpose. It inspired him to become the best pilot in the Air Force, to honor his father.

This was until his temper and irrational behavior made him disobey a direct order, which, in turn led to a rather heated disagreement with his commanding officer, and caused Hal to lash out and beat the living daylights out of him. He was at that point dishonorably discharged from the Military.

He then found a job at Ferris International as an Airline Captain, where he met and fell in love with his boss' daughter, Carol. They were then married.

His life after the Air Force, despite his missing the "Glory Days" of being a jet pilot, was good... until he met the alien Abin Sur and was drafted into the intergalactic police force, the Green Lantern Corps.

Since then, with former Sector 2814 Lantern Abin Sur as his mentor, Hal took over Sur's duties as the Green Lantern of Earth, but at the cost of the love of his life, for the Guardians of the Universe, the one's in charge of the Corps., forbid him from telling his wife his secret, something which made him file for divorce to keep her safe.

It has now been three years since his induction into the Green Lanterns, and now? Fate has ALOT more in store for Hal, as bigger, stronger, more powerful threats will start emerging to make his job much more difficult...

.The burning question - Why this character?: Hal Jordan is a VERY close second to Kyle as my favorite Green Lantern. The original Green Lantern Corps. mythos was something that made the DC Universe more attractive to me as a comic reader, as I used to only like Marvel. Also, John's reinvention of Hal and the GL mythos, as well as his newer elements to the GL-verse such as the other-color Corps and the Blackest Night have inspired me to want to make my own GL-verse, incorporating elemnts both old and new, as well as altering some to make this Hal truly feel Ultimate.

.How will this version of your character differ from others? How will it be Ultimate?:

-This Hal is not a test pilot for Ferris Aircraft as the original was. Instead, he is an airline pilot for Ferris International Airlines. Something to make him feel more or less 'washed up' before his drafting into the GLC. Although he does take the occasional joyride on one of Carol's personal jets once in a blue moon.

-Hal Jordan and Carol Ferris are currently divorced, as a result of Hal's becoming a Green Lantern. A decision he made to protect her in the long run, as the Guardians have forbidden him to reveal his secret to anyone. However, in spite of this and the fact that she harbors much anger towards him for divorcing her, he still loves her deeply.

-The Ultimate GL Ring doesn't deplete NEARLY as much energy as the mainstream version, and can stay at sufficient levels of energy for as long as about a week without having to be charged. By the same token, when it is recharged, the Personal Power Battery acts as a energy converter rather than charger, as it converts solar power into the energy that reacts to willpower.

-The Ultimate Guardians aren't nearly as douchey as the mainstream versions, although they are just as demanding and emotionless. Although that doesn't mean some of them don't experience emotion from time to time, but said Guardians have been banished for feeling such things.

-There is no real "Book of Oa" per se, although each Power Ring's built in computer has the GL Corps. Code of Conduct stored in it's massive database, so as to warn a Lantern when they are about to commit an infraction in hopes of preventing it. Also, there is no "One Lantern per Sector" rule. Instead, the number of Lanterns patrolling one sector is decided by the threat level as determined by the Guardians (for instance, Sector 1417's threat level is 1, meaning that only one Lantern is needed to guard it, said Lantern being Sinestro. Whereas 2814 has been experiencing threats that are superhuman and alien in nature, meaning that at any point, the Guardians can raise the threat level to 2 or 3 or even 4. Meaning that three more Corpsmen would be selected to help Lantern Jordan in patrolling the Sector). I mande this decision so that later on I can introduce other Lanterns such as Guy, John and eventually Kyle, and have it be explained as to why all four of them are needed to patrol Earth at the same time.

-A new concept that I am introducing is the Junior Green Lantern Corps., a special training operation being run by Kilowog in training the next Generation of Green Lanterns. Something else to note is that all Power Rings given to the minors participating in the program do not have the ability to form constructs other than your basic force fields, as the Guardians feel that would be giving the Junior Corpsmen too much power and that they cannot handle it safely or responsibly until they are of age.

-Personality-wise, Hal is still pretty badass, but he'll be wisecracking alot more and some of his stories alot lighter in tone.

-Ultimate Abin Sur is still alive, but he was greatly injured upon his arrival to Earth, which was what prompted him to choose Jordan as his successor, while Sur mentored and trained him with Kilowog and Sinestro.

-Most of the Ultimate GL-verse's Ultimization comes from the total revamps I'm giving his enemies. Starro, Black Hand, Hector Hammond, Fatality and even Gorrilla Grodd for starters are going to be almost completely ultimized. Yes... Gorilla Grodd is going to be a Green Lantern villain in this universe if all goes to plan.

.What do you believe you can bring to the RPG?: Ultimate Green Lantern, and a constant one at that.

.Provide a sample post as the character you wish to portray, in three paragraphs or more:

Hal Jordan watched as his power ring illuminated with green light as he held it to the power battery sitting on his table, reciting his oath as he would normally when memory of that fateful day where he met Abin Sur resurfaced in his thoughts...

"What the hell are you?"

"I am Abin Sur, Green Lantern of Space Sector 2814..."

...and whether I like it or not, I'm part of the biggest interaglactic police force known to the cosmos.

As the ring glowed with a newfound rejuvenation, Hal summoned forth his uniform, which symbiotically covered his body thread by thread. It was then that an emerald mask covered his face, and a familiar aura lifted him from the ground and out into the night...

:"Jordan. Come in, Jordan.": his ring alerted him.

"What is it, Abin? More trouble on Mercury's moon?"

:"No, Jordan, but there is a crisis on your homeworld towards the sea border. 23.7 miles north of your location.":

"Thanks for the info, Abin. I'm on it. Jordan out."

...and no matter how many brightest days and blackest nights I've had,nothing could've prepared me for this.

"You have got to be kidding me..."

Hal then followed the coordinates to the Coast City beach where a lone starfish limped across the sand.

"A starfish!? That's the threat!?!"

:"That's no ordinary starfish, Lantern Jordan...":

Then, right before his eyes, the starfish began to grow in size and one of the tentacles wrapped around Jordan's torso.

So as I was saying, my name is Hal Jordan, and in the brightest day or the blackest night, no evil's escaping my sight. And let those know that worship it's might, beware my power, the Green Lantern's light.

Now if you'll excuse me, there's a giant starfish throwing me around like a ragdoll who's about to get it's starry-ass handed to it...

.Powers and physical attributes: Imbued with divine abilities and tools crafted by the gods, Wonder Woman has incredible strength and speed, and can fly through the air on invisible wings. An embodiment of Truth and Liberty, she can see the truth in all things, making her immune to illusion or mind control. Her Gauntlets of Victory are impervious to all attacks physical or magical, and her Lasso of Justice can reach into the minds of the wicked. The form of Wonder Woman is one that must be summoned, however, and in her human form Diana Prince is still very mortal.

.Origin and backstory (as you see it): There was a time, not as long ago as Men would like to think, when the Gods had the power to shape the Earth. They had this power because Men believed in them, called upon them for protection from the Monsters of the dark. The Gods and the worlds of Magic were once potent and vibrant, and crossed over with the world of Men in places all over the Earth.

Slowly but surely, the Earth changed, as Men strengthened their dominion over it. Science drove out Magic, Logic overruled Faith, and the Gods and Monsters would lose their power.

In the first half of the Twentieth Century, the world of Men began to tear itself apart. War and death ravaged whole continents, and there were many who prayed to their Gods for protection. Unfortunately, the Gods of old were too far gone, too distant to wield their power anymore. So the remaining pantheons did the next best thing:

They created an Angel.

A creature of immaculate beauty and tremendous power, gifted with the perception of the divine, and fueled by a duty to champion Justice and Peace. However, none of the individual pantheons had the power to bring her into the world of Men by themselves. To that end, the old Gods found a new land, one whose people worshiped new Gods: Liberty. Equality. Prosperity. The iconography of the new land's "Lady Liberty," the principles of their "Founding Fathers," and the garish adventurism of their "Justice Society" were the missing piece of the puzzle. Sculpted of the old and wrapped in the new, this Angel would be brought to Earth to be the true hero of the age: the Wonder Woman.

However, the creation was halted by the forces of Darkness, the mystics and occultists of the Third Reich attempting to destroy Wonder Woman in the cosmic plane. Though they could not destroy her, her essence was lost in time, and though the war would end, the world would become a darker place in the years to come.

Some two generations later, a girl was born in Washington D.C. Her parents named her Diana Prince, and she was every bit the perfect American daughter. Exceptionally bright, always active in school and in college, and fiercely passionate in her beliefs, Diana would later enlist in the Army to serve the country she loved.

While helping to rebuild the war-torn nation of Afghanistan, Diana was shot in a roadside ambush. Fatally wounded, she was sure that she would die right then and there. Instead, her eyes were truly opened. Her spirit flowed with power from beyond the world of Men. And her destiny was revealed to her.

She was the Wonder Woman, born too late to stop the horrors for which she was created, but not too late to stop the horrors yet to come.

Returning to America, she left the Army, believing she could do more good at home than abroad. Following in the footsteps of the new champions like Superman and the Flash, Wonder Woman became a crime-fighter and social crusader, traveling across the country to help wherever she could. Behind her charity and her vigilantism, she still has one single-minded goal: to save the world from the war that is just beyond the horizon.

Darkness looms over the world of Men, but not for long. For even though the age of Gods and Monsters is over, it has saved its best for last.

.The burning question - Why this character?: Because Wonder Woman is a character that I really believe can be so much more than she is. Most of the time she's just "Superman with boobs" or the war-crazy knight-templar strawman for Clark or Bruce to argue with. Plus, she's a part of the Big Three, and I kinda think that if I don't pick her up again, no one else is going to, and that would just be a shame.

.How will this version of your character differ from others? How will it be Ultimate?: First and foremost, her powers don't just come from the Greek gods, but from all gods from all pantheons. This allows all sorts of room for exploration, and frees her from being shackled to the Amazons, who I always thought were rather weakly written as either a men-are-stupid utopia or Nazi-esque man-haters. I plan on writing her as more of a high-concept hero, questioning the nature of what it is to be a god, what defines reality, etc. Basically, it's my excuse to pretend to be Neil Gaiman.

.What do you believe you can bring to the RPG?: A heroine who can stand toe-to-toe with Superman or Batman any day of the week without blinking, as well as some crazy-ass forays into mythology that could set up the groundwork for the Ultimate DC Universe cosmology on a larger scale. Also, an unthinkably hot woman in a one-piece outfit.

.Provide a sample post as the character you wish to portray, in three paragraphs or more:

(Apologies for copy/pasting a post as pre-reboot WW; I'm just too swamped at the moment to write a whole new sample. I'll get one up later when I've gotten things squared away)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andy C.

It seems that our gracious host has quite the formidable force behind his bold declarations. I charge straight at these 'Devil-Mechas,' tackling one through the wall and tumbling head-over-heels deeper into Wayne Towers.

Once the mechanical monster regains its bearings, it strikes at me with its bladed arms. It is remarkably fast, but my reflexes are still enough to deflect each intended blow. The robot tries to fend me off with a wave of laser blasts, but I bring up my Gauntlets in time to block them, then lunge in at it.

Ducking beneath its arms, I grab a hold of the robot's chest-plate, and rip it open. To my relief, I see that there is not a person inside--apparently this world has not had to deal with Brainiac or his OMAC abominations. I am comforted by the knowledge that I can now the Mecha's insides out without worrying about hurting innocents.

An explosion from behind sends me pinwheeling through the air, slamming into the ceiling, then back down to the floor. I get to my feet and see two of the other Devil-Mechas have followed me, and are readying their missiles for another volley.

I call upon the speed of Hermes once again, whipping my Lasso out towards the arm of the robot furthest to the left, and then charging sharply to the right. This yanks the Mecha's weapon towards the others, and before it can abort its firing sequence, it blows its companions into scrap.

I then pull the robot in, and with all of my might, deliver an uppercut that sends it flying back in pieces.

"Come on! We can't let him slow us down here! We have to press the attack!"